deewry



(No Model.)

S. A. DREWRY'. ABDOMINAL $UPPORTER.

Patented May 31 1887.

M um I er. Washington. D. a

NITED STATES; ATENT irrcn e SARAH A. DREWRY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ABDOMINAL SUPPORTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 863,812, dated May 31, 1887.

Application filed March 29,1ss7. Serial No. 232.830. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SARAH A. DREWRY, of New York, county of New York, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Abdominal Supportersof which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification.

My invention has for its object to prevent the narrow or comparatively narrow supporter from turning, in consequence of the weight of the abdomen, upon the great trochanter as a fulcrum, and thus riding up .out of its proper position. Bymeans of the pockets into which the hip-bones fit the supporter is held from riding up at the sides, and by means of long projecting narrow points on the back the whole structure is prevented from rotating about the possible support with the minimum amount of irritation and friction to the parts; andit consists in connecting the pouch or bag by a series of supports to the two body parts of the abdominal supporter, in front and in rear, by tapes attached to the lower part of the webbing forming the hipgores. This webbing, being somewhat elastic, affords a yielding sup port, and the long points or upward extensions of the body of the supporter in the rear prevent undue strain upon the upper part of the scrotumbag, which would be exerted if the lower front part of the abdominal supporter were to ride up or get out-of place in a manner common to other supporters.

This invention may be regarded as an improvement upon the supporter covered by my former patent, No. 239,943, and the construction shown, by which the objects recited are attained, will be understood from the following description with reference to the drawings, in which Figure 1 is a rear elevation of my improved abdominal supporter; and Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same, showing the scrotal supporter attached.

A A indicate the two parts constituting the body of the abdominal supporter, made of stout and com paratively-unyielding cloth, and extendedupward at the rear in two points, F and F.

B is a strip of elastic material or fabric, which unites in the rear the two body portions proper and allows for expansion in the girth, due to certain movements or positions of the wearer. Other vertical strips of elastic material may be inserted at any other desired points to give a certain amount of elasticity,

when desired.

The front edges of the supporter aresecured either by straps a and buckles a, as shown, or lacings may be used, if preferred.

Portions are cut away from the sides of the supporter, giving the lower edges an arched form, to conform generally to the contour of the great trochanter, over which said edge is intended to be fitted. Within the opening thus formed is secured a gore, D, which thus forms a pocket, in which the hip-bone rests, and about which, as a sort of fulcrum, the whole supporter may rotate vertically to a small extent.

The gores DD may each be of a single piece of woven fabric, the lower parts at D having an elasting filling, while the upper parts may be'inelastic and gathered in or given greater or less additional fullness, as the particular shape of the wearer may require. This gore may, however, be made entirely of inelastic material, with its upper part gathered.

It will be seen that the pockets effectually prevent the supporter from slipping down or riding up.

With a supporter of this construction the shoulder straps and perineal straps can both be omitted. Where the gore is of inelastic material, strips of inelastic material similar to B should be inserted back of the gores D D, and between said gores and the ends of the supporter, and they may be inserted at the points, if required.

With this construction of supporter not only is the structure kept in place under all necessary movements of the body, but there is a great freedom from undue pressure on-the great trochanter or the ovarian region and room for the spreading of the abdomen laterally, supported, as it is, from below upward and inward. Without the novel extensions upward at F F it sometimes may happen that the weight of an unusually large abdomen, or in case of advanced pregnancy, the supporter may turn too much upon the fulcrum of the great trochanter and the abdomen be left insufiiciently supported. The extensions F F effectually prevent this undue turning and the resulting sagging in front.

By actual experience it has been found that no ordinary form of belt or support willeffectually carry a scrotum bag or support yielding just as much and no more than is needed for comfort.

The scrotal bag is made of two pieces, f f, and is supported at its upper end adj ustably by being buttoned over one of a series of buttons, f, secured to the lower front part of the body proper of the abdominal supporter. To the lower edge of the scrotal bag are attached two tapes, k lo, which at their other ends are furnished with metal loops to be secured upon buttons k, attached to the lower parts of the hip-gores, as indicated.

I am aware of V-shaped openings over the hips in supporters and of similar openings filled with a piece of elastic, which, however, is not held full or gathered at its upper part to form a pocketfor the hip-bone, as in my invention. I am aware, also, that many supporters are extended upward in the rear, some extending even to the shoulder-blades; but these extensions are not combined, as in my supporter,

with the hip-bone pockets, and hence are for a different purpose and operated in an entirely different manner.

I claim nothing new in the construction of the scrotal bag proper, as that may be of any preferred form in use. My invention consists in giving the bag an entirely new form of yielding support.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. The combination,in a comparatively-narrow abdominal supporter or belt, of a hippocket gore made full at its upper arching edge, and the two upturned rear extensions, F F, as and for the purposes described.

2. I The combination,with an abdominal supporter formed with gathered hip gores and extensions F F, of the scrotal bag f f, attached in front to a series of buttons upon the front main portion of the supporter and in rear by tapes to buttons secured on the lower portions of the hip-gores, all substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 28th day of March, A. D. 1887.

SARAH A. DREWRY.

Witnesses:

CURTIS B. PERRY, (IRENE COLLIER. 

